Dracula Untold [DVD]

This movie is a grand example of how one should not trust the reviews and half-assed critiques one will find regarding movies that are all too often pushed aside for common sensationalist pap. Take a chance, and trust in your own instincts regarding films, and you will find that many will suit you just fine, and may in fact, prove to be far better than you ever would have thought. This, my friends, is one of the good ones.For the fans of the classic legends of vampires, this movie shows that it is possible to bring a new spin to a venerable creature of the night. Even the fans of the "fluffier" style of vampire might enjoy the romantic side of the titular character. But, unlike modern vamps, who are written to avoid the difficulties of daylight, or blood, or silver, Vlad Tepes/Dracul brings us back to those roots and demonstrates how an old school vampire manages 'like a "sir"'."Vlad Tepes (Luke Evans) is the Prince of Wallachia /Transylvania. Vlad and his men find a helmet that means an Ottoman scouting party is clearing the way for an invasion force. At Broken Tooth Mountain, Tepes finds a cave littered in bone fragments. Inside the dark depths they are savaged by a fiendishly strong man-like creature, whose speed, sharp teeth and keen red eyes, spell the death of all of Tepes' men, but not without cost. The wounded creature attempts to make Tepes his victim, but halts when sunlight causes his blood to burn and turn to ash on the wind. Vlad returns to his keep, and a monk informs him that a vampire, once a man who bargained with the devil for power, is accursed, and must remain in his rocky prison until he can pass his curse to another through a pact sealed with the vampire's own blood.Time passes, and Tepes is with his wife and son when a Turkish entourage arrive and see audience. Tepes offers them the customary tributes of silver coins, but the Sultan, named Mehmed, states that a contingent of Turkish men are missing, with the clear indication that Tepes was behind their disappearance. He then demands an additional tribute of 1,000 boys to be trained as soldiers. Tepes refuses the demand, but he knows his army is insufficient to repel the Turks if they should attack, so he asks Mehmed, who has known him since childhood, to show leniency and leave the children be. Mehmed is not swayed by his request and Tepes then offers himself in their stead. The Sultan then demands that Tepes' own son must come also. The boy tells his father that he is ready to join the Sultan's army, but Tepes kills the Sultan's men knowing that his actions will lead to war.Driven to desperation, Tepes revisits the cave seeking help from the vampire who tells him of the steep price of such a bargain. He holds forth a skull bowl containing a large amount of blackish vampire blood, and informs him that if he is able to resist human blood for three days, the deal will be nullified and he will retain his humanity. But, should he fail, he will inherit the blood curse of vampirism for all eternity and he will be required to render aid to the vampire when he finds his maker and seeks revenge upon him. Knowing that he has no choice if he is to save his people and his family, Tepes agrees and drinks the creature's blood completely. Immediately, he is wracked with pain, and through gritted teeth he asks:"What happens now?"The vampire turns away as he says:"Now, you die."Drawing from history surrounding the actual Prince of Wallachia, the movie incorporates a heroic view of the main character, just as residents of that area hold now. In this way, the story is a clever blend of romanticism, heroic sacrifice, infamous legend and historic events that is altogether entertaining and enjoyable. It's dark, and moody and the characters are well played. For those with teens and preteens, it's not all that bloody or gore-ridden, depending more on facial reactions and dizzying action to depict violence. There is one sexual situation that is quite tame, and the movie doesn't rely on foul language or crudity to carry the story. From beginning to end, it was a good vampire romp with great actors, great costumes, and dizzying quantities of bats. How cool is that!?If you are weary of vampires with the Star Trek: Next Gen. sinus-problem makeup to make them look "scary", or vampires that have had all the gritty, bitey fun stripped away, including the fangs, then join me in some classical throat-sucking warfare that you'll really enjoy. The end of the film implies a sequel, which I do hope eventually gets made, and I for one, want more! A lot more! I've honestly had all the wimpy sparkly vamps I can handle for one lifetime.

Fav movie

Good movie good screen play

An excellent action/fantasy that combines history with legend. Vlad III, prince of Wallachia (Luke Evans), who eventually becomes "Dracula, son of the Devil", is based upon Vlad the Impaler, a 15th century leader of Romania capable of incredible cruelty, who would impale his victims.As Vlad III rules in peace at the beginning of the movie, Sultan Mehmed II (Dominic Cooper) asks Vlad for a thousand of his boys, eventually including even his son Ingeras (Art Parkinson), to serve the Ottoman Empire, instead of just the usual tribute. Vlad goes to Broke Tooth Mountain to seek the strength of the Master Vampire (Charles Dance) in order to resist the Turks. As the suspicious Vampire has his hand on Vlad's throat, Vlad says, "Sometimes the world no longer needs a hero. Sometimes what it needs ... is a monster." This makes me think of something I once heard a priest say on a television show: "At a time when the world had stopped believing in the Devil, Hitler came into the world and showed it the face of the Devil." - Father George William RutlerBack to the movie, where if Vlad drinks some of the Vampire's blood, he will gain the Vampire's strengths to take on the Turks. But if he subsequently drinks someone's blood before the third day, he will become a Vampire. If he doesn't, he will resurrect, so to speak, to his former self. Vlad drinks, making a pact, a deal with the son of the Devil, so to speak. With the Vampire's strength, Vlad has the ability to take on "a thousand" man army by himself. (Someone younger needs to be able to do that, Sly, Arnold, Bruce, and Liam are getting up there.) 3 and 1000 are important numbers in the Bible. Christ rose on the third day and His servants will reign with Him for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4; 7:4-8).As the soldiers of the Ottoman Empire are coming for Vlad, a group of his subjects are on their knees in prayer to which Vlad responds: "The Turks are coming. Prayers will not defend these walls. Get these men off their knees." Why not have the women, children, and men who can't fight continue their prayers while Vlad and his soldiers prepare to fight (and they should be praying too)? The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on the Catholic Church calendar commemorates how the Christians turned back the Muslims at Lepanto to save Europe while the Pope prayed the Rosary.But Vlad subsequently makes his own prayer in a church: "Lord, if you've not yet forsaken me, grant me your strength that I may resist the darkness. Allow me to endure this test one more day. ... I beg you. ... Please."This made me think of some Scriptures: "Then he told them a parable about the need for them to pray always without losing heart ... 'Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. ... Sufficient for a day is its own evil. ... My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.'" - Luke 18:1; Matthew 26:41; 6:34; 2 Cor 12:9The acting in "Dracula Untold" was excellent. Luke Evans definitely has a strong presence. The movie is definitely a strong PG-13, meaning the bloodletting, war scenes, and a bit of sensuality are inappropriate for pre-teens and the squeamish. I'll end with a quote I recently came across that seems to fit here:"The difference between the City of God and the City of Man is like the difference between Jesus Christ and Dracula. Jesus Christ shed his blood so that you can have eternal life. Dracula sheds your blood so that he can have eternal life." - E. Michael Jones("The Culture Wars come to India", Culture Wars magazine, March 2015, P.27)

I enjoy looking at the warrior side of Dracula.

Great origin story.

Love it